Fastener



Patented Mar. 30, 1943 UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE FASTENER Harold W.:Kost, Birmingham, Mich, assignor to Detroit Harvester Company, Detroit,Mich., a

corporation of Michigan v Application April 10, 1941, Serial No. 387,899

(cuss-36y 4 -Claims.

This invention relates to fastening devices but more particularly tofasteners which are adapted to receive a plain or screw-threaded shankor stud for connecting together sheet'metal panels metal fastener whichcan be readily applied to an apertured supporting panel, one portion ofthe fastener engaging an edge of the supporting panel and anotherportion in the region of such engaging portion for cooperating with thebody of the fastener to clamp the panel therebetween.

A further object is to produce a unitary sheet metal fastener of theabove character which is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to apply, andhas the new and improved features of construction for retaining it inthe desired position upon the supporting panel prior to and during theapplication of the bolt or stud.

An embodiment of the invention is shown on.

mounted on a supporting panel;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view substantiallv on the line 5-5of Figure 4; and

Figured isa sectional view similar to Figure 5 but showing a panelattached to the fastener supporting panel, a screw passing through bothvpanels in threaded engagement with the fastener.

The illustrated embodimentof the invention comprises a one-piece sheetmetal fastening device having a substantially rectangular flat body i'which has a downturned flange or lip II at one end thereof. The oppositeend of the body is bent upwardly as indicated at I! to provide aconvenient hand-hold for use in applying the fastener to the supportingpanel. Arranged approximately in the center of the body II is anoutwardly pressed substantially frusto-conical protuberance i3 which hasa radial slit it. On the outer end of the protuberance is a screw threadreceiving opening IS, the edge of which is of helical form to engage onecomplete thread of a screw. The screw thread receiving portion may be ofthe form shown and described in the patent to Harold W. Kost No.2,169,182, dated August 8, 1939, although it is to be understood thatother forms of screw or stud engaging portions may be used to advantage,and it is not my intention thatthe invention is limited solely to thescrew thread receiving portion shown on the. accompanying drawing.

Struck from the body I0 is a tongue l6 thereby forming a longitudinallyelongate slot H in the body I 0. The tongue I 8 is integral with thebody iii in "the region-juxtapdose fii the base of the screw-receivingprotuberance i3 and the free end of the tongue extends in a generaldirection toward the lip or flange II. It will be observed that thetongue has a downwardly extending portion I! with which merges a portionl8, the latter extending approximately in parallel relationship to thebody H]. To facilitate application of the fastener, the outer or freeend portion IQ of the tongue l6 inclines downwardly or in a directionaway from the body Ill.

The fastener is adapted to be mounted on a supporting panel P which hasa screw or stud receiving aperture A disposed adjacent an edge portionE. vAs indicated in Figure 2, the tongue I8 is inserted into theaperture A, the downwardly inclined end portion l9 facilitating theengagement of the tongue IS with the underside of the panel P. Thefastener is then bodily shifted longitudinally until the lip or flangell snaps over the edge E. The panel P is snugly gripped between the bodyportion III and the tongue l6, and longitudinal movement of the fastenerin one direction is prevented by the lip II and in the oppositedirection by the shoulder formed by the downwardly extending portion llof the tongue l8. Rotative or turning movement of the fastener isprevented by the engagement of the lip II with the edge E of thesupporting paneLfthe lip extending entirely across the narrow dimensionof the fastener.

It will be apparent that the elements of the fastener are so arrangedthat when it is in applied position, the opening I S is in registrationwith the aperture A. This enables a panel P' (Figure 6) to be applied tothe underside of the panel P, there being an opening A in the panel Pwhich is in alignment with the aperture A so that a screw S may beinserted therethrough andintothreadedengll mentwith'theedge or theopening II. Upon tightening or the screw,thepanelsPandP'willbedrawntoward'each other as will be readilyapparent.. In view or the construction of the fastener it will beobvious that insertion or the screw 8 can be readily accomplished sincethe aperture in which the screw is inserted-is visible during theapplication oi the screw to fastening position.

' It is to be understood that numerous changes in details oiconstruction, arrangement and operation may be eflected withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention especiallyas defined in theappended claims. a

What I claim is:

l. A fastener comprising-a sheet metal body,

a shank engaging portion on said body, a downturned flange on' said bodyto engage an edge of asupporting panel for militating ainst turning oithe body with respect to the panel, said flange having its free endportion disposed at 231mm a 'withtheirecendextendinginthegeneraldirection of said flange, thereby to enable thetongue to be first inserted into the panel aperture and the body movedalong the supporting panel until the flange engages over the edgethereof.

3. A fastener for mounting on an apertured panel. said fastenercomprising a sheet metal body, a shank n aging portion integral withsaid body adapted to be positioned substantially in register with thepanel aperture. a downtumed flange on one edge ot-said body to engage anapproximately right angles to said body, and a tongue struck from thebody and extending along the underside of the body with the free endthereof projecting in a direction toward said flange thereby to enablethe tongue to be inserted through a shank-receiving aperture of thepanel to engage one side 01' the supporting panel and the body to engagethe other side thereof for cooperating with the flange to hold thefastener in place.

2.A fastener for mounting on an apertured panel, said fastenercomprising a sheet metal body. a shank-engaging portionintegral withsaid .body adapted to be positioned substantially in register with thepanel aperturerrdownturned flange on said body to engage an edge of thepanel and cooperate therewith for holding the body against shittingmovements rotatively andlongitudinally in one direction, said flangehaving its free end portion disposed at approximat ly right angles tosaid body, and means for ho1d-' ing the body uponthe panel and againstlongitudinal shifting movement in the opposite direction, said holdingmeans comprising a tongue struck out of said body with one endterminating in the region of said shank engaging portion and oppositeend of said body aflording a finger hold for use in applying theIastener.

4. A fastener for mounting on an apertured panel, said fastenercomprising a substantially flatsheet metal body, a screw threadreceivingportion integral with and projecting from one side of said bodyand adapted to be positioned substantially in register with the panelaperture, an integral downturned flange on one edge of said body toengage an edge portion of the panel and cooperate therewith for holdingthe body against rotative movement and longitudinal shifting movement inone direction, said flange having its free end portion disposed atapproximately right angles to said body, and a tongue struck from saidbody intermediate said screw thread engaging portion and said flange anddepressed from said body thereby to engage the underside of the panelthrough the panel aperture, said tongue having the free end thereofextendin toward said flange. I

HAROLD W. KOST.

